Higher Horizens
by The Other Perspective
Summary: Takes place after MAX FANG wasn't out when it was written . The Flock is staying in an abandoned house for the summer while Ella and her mom are away, when unexpected but familiar faces show up to help Max along with her mission. Lots o' FAX! Enjoy!
1. Stalker

**Hello people of FanFiction!  
****Topsy here, back from my writer's block vacation. I was going through my old downloads the other day and found this: A SUPER long Max-muse I must've done right after MAX came out. It's still good, just not updated for FANG stuff. Enjoy!  
****Topsy**

_Part 1:_  
_Remember Them?_

**Chapter 1:**  
**Stalker**

Max.

He was sure he'd seen her. No one else had streaked blond hair like she did. And no one else could _run_ like that. Busting through the mall like a tornado on steroids. With wings. Everyone else whispered about how weird it was, how Max's family were mutated like that. Not him. He thought it made her look like an angel. A very ferocious angel in a hurry to get the hell out of whatever situation she was in. He'd already figured out she was shoplifting, though. And that she need a speedy way out. He had it all planned.

He still wanted her. He still had feelings for her. And sure as hell, he wasn't letting her fly away again.

No, Sam was smarter than that.

* * *

A stream of profanities spewed under my breath as the cop by the sliding doors saw me. Something about the way my arms were full of clothes with the price tags dangling off them (that looked very new and conspicuously unpaid for) and my very shabby teenager look must've shot off his cop-senses. Geez. Some people are paranoid.

I was already running when he first shouted at me, something about stopping in the name of the law, and I burst out the doors to put the cherry on top: blasting alarms. So much for a quick, quiet getaway. Three cops were now chasing after me, but they were nowhere near a match for my speed. Even with my load of "borrowed" stuff, I was more quick and nimble than those guys could ever dream of being. I thanked whatever bigger being there was up there for the lack of better security and skidded out into the parking lot. Any minute now, Fang would drive up with the van and I'd simply disappear…

The sound of tires squealing on pavement tipped me off. Sure enough, a chunky van was tearing around the corner. I could've sworn our van had been gray… but blue and gray were really close, and I wasn't one to study the color palate. The windows were tinted, so the cops would never know….

The van came to a jerky stop in front of me, and I launched in the side door before the engine could rest for even a second. "Go, go, go!" I anxiously peered out the dark window for any sign of guns or tranquilizers or any other non-fun things that could ruin my plans. For once, we got lucky.

I relaxed a teensy bit in the smelly seat.

"So?" Fang asked from the driver's seat after we were a good distance from the mall.

"Two pairs of jeans and three shirts for Angel; a new hoodie and sweats for Gazzy; shoes, pants, and a scarf for Ig; jeans and shoes and two shirts for you; and a coat for me. New windbreakers for all." I ticked the items off my fingers and listed them in an exhausted tone.

Fang watched the pile of clothes and seemed to mentally take inventory for all I'd just said. His brow wrinkled after I finished. "There's more then that."

"Oh. Yeah. The rest is Nudge."

I'd spent five hours this morning "shopping" for the flock, and a good three and a half had been just for Nudge. The things I did for that girl…

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as my peripheral vision caught something that hadn't been there before. Twisting in my seat, I looked out the back window… to see a van almost identical to ours following us.

"We have a straggler," I informed Fang in my all-business voice.

He nodded and took a sharp turn that must've tipped the van on two wheels. I choked back all the "comments" I had on Fang's driving and just held on tight for the winding ride.

Sixteen blood-pounding blocks later, our follower van peeled off. After he had gone, Fang waited ten more minutes, still making pointless turns and routes, until he sighed and relaxed a bit in his seat.

"Think we lost him," he panted, wiping the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand.

"Agreed." I nodded wearily, and Fang took a ninety-degree turn on to a street I recognized as one on the way to our house.

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**Slow and short beginning, I know. The best is yet to come!  
That is, if you think I should continue. You do? Review!**  
**Topsy**


	2. Zero Gratitude

**Chapter 2:**

**Zero Gratitude**

Guess what the first thing we heard when we fell through the front door was. "We love you Max, thanks for going through all the trouble to get us these well-picked clothes!" Wrong. "Hi Max! Hi Fang! We missed you!" Wrong again. Not even a "Hi guys!" No, our greeting was Nudge's high-pitched squeal of "Cloooooothes!"

She ran down the hall to block our way. "Did you get me anything, Max? Cuz I've been just _dying_ for you to get home and see all the new stuff! Did you get jeans? I need new jeans soooo bad! Like, _new_ jeans, not even out of a dumpster or Goodwill! That would be soooo cool!"

I cut her off mid-squeal and tilted my head to indicate Fang's armload of stuff. "That's yours."

She just stared at me, jaw slack, for a second, and I catalogued this moment away in my very small archives of "Nudge is speechless". Then she attacked Fang, clawing through the pile and announcing every item she recognized.

"How cool am I gonna be?" Iggy sauntered down the hall, smiling. Gazzy was hot on his trail, and he mentally measured my load before grinning broadly.

"You're gonna be the best looking blind bird kid the world has ever seen," I answered dryly. "Now, can somebody _please_ take something?"

An hour later, our living room was scattered with tired mutants and much-admired clothes. Nudge had laid out her crop, sorting everything by color or texture or whatnot. Seeing her stroke the faux fur lining of one of the hoodies I'd grabbed for her tugged gently at my motherly side. I just loved seeing everyone happy, cuz God knew I couldn't make them happy all the time. They took such pleasure in these little things. Even Fang, , was wearing a tiny smile as he admired his new black skate shoes.

Shaking all the mushy feelings off, I stood up and clapped loudly. "Bed time guys. Hop to!"

Angel and Nudge groaned and gathered their stuff before hauling it all up to their room. Gazzy whispered something to Ig, something that sounded a lot like "race ya", and they darted up the stairs before I could tell them twice.

Once every one was up, I sighed and fell into one of the oober-cushy couches. I was exhausted. I hadn't had any sleep last night, or the night before, and today had really taken it out of me….

A shadow moved in my peripheral vision, and my head snapped up. I was about to spring to my feet, but the couch cushion beside me sank a bit, and I turned to see Fang smirking at my startled expression. I stared at him for another minute, and he took me by complete surprise again; he burst out laughing.

"You… shoulda…. seen… your face!" he managed to say between bursts of ringing laughter. I scowled and slapped his leg, (which would probably leave a bruise, I later realized), but it took no toll on his outbursts. Finally, I just gave into the mood and laughed with him.

I don't know how long we sat like that, simply laughing, but after a while, our guffahs became quiet chuckles, then died out completely. He just watched my face then, the gold flecks in his eyes coaxed out by the room's dim light. My breath caught, and I could practically taste the mood change. Yeah, that's how good I am.

I felt his hand brush my shoulder, twirling my hair around his finger. "Max," he said in a voice that made me melt. Battle with lethal mutants, I was the strongest one out there. One word uttered by those lips, and I was a helpless puddle.

"Your driving has improved," I commented lamely.

The side of his mouth twitched. "I sure hope so."

And just like that, after an exchange of eight words, he was leaning closer to me. I shivered as his hand traced down my spine and found myself laying back on the couch, him hovering over me… I wrapped my arms around his neck and—

The doorbell rang.

* * *

**Read and Review! Thanks so much!**

**Topsy**


	3. Just Like You

**Chapter 3:**

**Just Like You**

I lay my head back and groaned (something I was getting into the habit of lately).

I faintly heard Fang snarl before springing lightly to his feet and setting off down the hall to the front door.

Who would come for a visit at—I glanced at the wall clock—_eleven thirty_ at night? Come to think of it, who would come for a visit at all? This was an abandoned house that we'd found to stay in while mom and Ella were away for the summer. They'd insisted we stayed in their house, but… it just hadn't felt right. So we were temporarily back to scrounging for resources, such as clothes, for these three months.

I heard the front door open at the same time I saw Angel appear at the top of the stairs. I nodded to her, and we went together down to the door.

"No, please, we just need a few nights. _We're like you_," a male voice that most definitely wasn't Fang was snarling.

"You don't know us," Fang countered, then added darkly, "no one knows us."

It seemed like a good time for me to step in. I maneuvered around Fang to get a good look at our visitors.

Two kids stood on our doorstep. They looked like they'd been roughing it for a while, with matted hair and filthy clothes. The girl looked a bit younger than Fang, Iggy, and me, but older than Nudge. Her companion seemed to be our age, if not older. They both had determined expressions and wild eyes.

Huh. A wave of déjà vu swept over me, but I couldn't quite put a finger on the reason. Probably because they reminded me so much of how we used to be.

The girl turned to me, ignoring Fang. "Maximum," she said in a stony tone.

Okay. Points to the new kids for unexpected knowledge.

"What." I glared icily back. She was good, but not Max-good.

"It's Chu. We need your help."

Chu. I hadn't heard that name in three years… and hearing it now wasn't exactly comforting.

"Chu got you to work for him? Wow. I really thought he could do better."

"No, bird-brain," the boy piped in. "We're not working for anyone. We're seeking your help in defeating Chu."

"Yeah? And, now, _please_ give me one good reason why I should believe a word you're saying." I crossed my arms over my chest, putting on my best "intimidating" look.

They were unfazed. "Read this. We come from the School. Just like you. Maximum, we're mutants."

She held out a fat legal-sized envelope. On it, printed in big letters, were the typed words "Experiment 14628-14629". A big red stamp was pounded over it, reading "FAIL". The School's secret logo was imprinted in one corner.

Angel's hand was on my arm. "Max," she said gently, "They're the real deal."

After another moment of stare-off between the girl and me, I sighed. "I guess you should come in."


End file.
